A TOUCH AWAY

Opening event

A TOUCH AWAY
Television series, direction: Ron Ninio, Israel 2006, 320 min, Hebrew/Russian with English subtitles, Russian over headphone, German premier

Two families, whose lives are worlds apart, cross paths in an apartment building in Bnei Brak. The ultra-orthodox Bermans live opposite a family of new immigrants from Russia. The love which develops between orthodox Rochele and secular Zorik captivated Israeli TV audiences for 8 weeks.

Guest: Evgenia Dodina, actress

SIXTY SIX

SIXTY SIX
Feature film, direction: Paul Weiland, UK 2006, 93 min, in English

It is summer 1966 and England is immersed in World Cup football fever. Twelve-year-old Bernie’s bar-mitzvah is drawing ever closer and to make matters worse, it is on the same day as the finals. As England makes it through the qualifiying rounds, disaster seems to be brewing. Off-beat British comedy starring Helena Bonham Carter.

18-J

18-J
Short film series, direction: Daniel Burman and others, Argentina 2004, 110 min, Spanish with English subtitles, German over headphones

On 18th July 1994, a bomb exploded in front of the AMIA building (Argentine Israelite Mutual Association) in the centre of Buenos Aires killing 85 people. This terrorist attack was carried out a few days before the organisation’s centenary celebrations. The case has never been resolved. Ten short films pay homage to the victims of the attack.

Introduction: Carolina Goldsman, Festival Internacional de Cine Judio de Punta del Este, Uruguay

MRS. MEITLEMEIHR

MRS. MEITLEMEIHR
Short Feature Film, director: Graham Rose, Great Britain 2002, 30 min

FILMMAKER Extraordinaire: Graham Rose AND The Real EnDing of adolf hitler, in English

British filmmaker Graham Rose in conversation with Roger Boyes, German correspondent for the Times newspaper. This is followed by a screening of Graham Rose’s prize-winning commercials and his short film MRS. MEITLEMEIHR (UK 2002, 30 min, English) with Udo Kiehr as Adolf Hitler. This is a masterpiece of extreme British black comedy.
FILM FANATIC

FILM FANATIC
Documentary film, direction: Shlomo Hazan, Israel 2006, 55 min, Hebrew with English subtitles, German over headphones

The film tells the story of Yehuda Grovais, a young ultra-orthodox Israeli who fulfilled his impossible dream of making films. This will be followed by a screening of Grovais’ prize-winning short film COMING HOME SAFELY.

Introduction: Igal Avidan

Shadya

Shadya
Documentary film, direction: Roy Westler, Israel 2005, 52 min, Hebrew with English subtitles, German over headphones

Shadya is a Muslim girl and Israeli citizen who loves karate; in a battle between ambition and tradition, the spirited Shadya’s determination to become women’s karate world champion brings her into conflict with the traditional Muslim way of life.

Introduction: Igal Avidan

KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS

MY MEXICAN SHIVAH
Feature film, direction: Alejandro Springall, Mexico/USA 2006, 98 min, Spanish with English subtitles, German over headphones

In the Jewish district of Mexico City, Moishe leads a carefree life, until the day he dies while out partying. Despite his large circle of friends, his many relatives have few good words to say about him. This is a turbulent tale of a Mexican Jewish family.
KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS

KEEPING UP WITH THE STEINS
Feature film, direction: Scott Marshall, USA 2006, 99 min, in English

In smart Brentwood, California, Benjamin Fiedler is preparing for his bar mitzvah. The only problem is that he understands neither the meaning of ceremony nor of the Hebrew text, and his parents are planning the showiest party possible. So he decides to turn to his grandfather, who abandoned the family years ago, and who Benjamin’s father strongly resents. A huge hit in the USA!
DIE FREIHEIT DES ERZÄHLENS – DAS LEBEN DES GAD BECK

DIE FREIHEIT DES ERZÄHLENS – DAS LEBEN DES GAD BECK
Documentary film, direction: Carsten Does und Robin Cackett, Germany 2006, 100 min, only in German, no translation

From 1979 to 1988, Gad Beck was director of the Jüdische Volkshochschule Berlin (Jewish adult education centre). He is one of the most dazzling personalities of his generation. “The last image is a group photo taken on the steps of the Jewish community centre with many well known faces. Oh Gad, you were the clandestine king of Fasanenstraße, or perhaps rather the queen…I am glad this film has been made”. (Judith Kessler)

Guests: Gad Beck, Carsten Does, Robin Cackett

WRESTLING WITH ANGELS

WRESTLING WITH ANGELS
Documentary film, direction: Freida Lee Mock, USA 2006, 98 min, in English

This is a film about Tony Kushner: dramatist and scriptwriter (Angels in America, script for Steven Spielberg’s München) and winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award. It is the tale of an unswervingly creative man who grew up in the American Deep South and became an outspoken and fearless activist and a passionate supporter of the socially excluded.

Introduction: Linda Grant, prize-winning British author (incl. Lettre Ulysses Award)

DIE BERTINIS

CONGRATULATIONS TO Ralph Giordano ON HIS 84TH bIRTHDAY!

DIE BERTINIS (The Bertinis)
Television series, direction: Egon Monk, Germany (ZDF) 1988, 449 min, (5 Parts), only in German, no translation

Egon Monk’s 1987 film adaptation of Ralph Giordano’s novel was one of the most elaborate television projects of its time. Beginning in 1882, “The Bertinis” tells the story of a Hamburg family, chronicling their lives, persecution and survival throughout the Nazi regime and ending with the liberation by the English of hideaways in a cellar. In 1988, this ZDF production was awarded the German Critics prize for television as ‘by far the most outstanding production of the year’. Egon Monk died recently. Starring Hannelore Hoger and Peter Fitz.
WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE

WHAT A WONDERFUL PLACE
Feature film, direction: Eyal Halfon, Israel 2005, 104 min, Hebrew with English subtitles, German over headphones

Jana, a young Ukranian, is lured to Israel under false pretences along with other young women. Between legality and illegality, further stories unfold of Israeli farmers, rangers and Thai labourers. The film concludes with a dramatic showdown in the desert and the Thai workers’ dreams come true.
SCHMUCKGARTEN

SCHMUCKGARTEN (Jewellery Garden)
Short film, direction: Felice Wonnenberg, Germany 2006, 9 min, German with English subtitles

A short film portrait of a jeweller and his second hand jewellery shop near Kurfürstendamm in Berlin.
GRANDPA… SPEAK TO ME IN RUSSIAN

GRANDPA… SPEAK TO ME IN RUSSIAN
Documentary film, direction: Louis Lentin, Ireland 2007, 55 min., in English

“GRANDPA… SPEAK TO ME IN RUSSIAN centres on my paternal grandfather, Kalman Solomon Lentin: he came to Ireland aged 14 from the Lithuanian shtetl of Zhidik in the mid- 1890s. He was one of many who fled the repressive Russian regime, but one of the few who came to Ireland.” (Louis Lentin)

Guest: Louis Lentin, director

5 DAYS

5 DAYS
Documentary film, direction: Yoav Shamir, Israel 2005, 94 min, Hebrew with English subtitles, German over headphones, Berlin premier

This prize-winning documentary film follows the Israeli armed forces as they evacuate 8000 Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip to make room for 250,000 Palestinians in August 2005. Outbreaks of violence are expected, but the army is not permitted to use violent means themselves, so they have to resort to many different means of coercion.
EL CANTOR

EL CANTOR (The Cantor)
Feature film, direction: Joseph Morder, France 2005, 90 min, French with English subtitles, German over headphones

To William’s great surprise, his cousin Clovis, who he hasn’t seen for more than 30 years, comes to visit him in Le Havre from New York. Their reunion reawakens many memories. In the mean time, William’s wife Elizabeth, whose father has just passed away, is unable to share in their happiness. But little by little, Clovis, the descendent of a long line of great cantors, wins over everyone with his charm.

Guest: Joseph Morder, director, in conversation with Prof. Dr. Gertrud Koch

FATHER LANGUAGE (LINGUA FRANCA)

FATHER LANGUAGE (Lingua Franca)
Documentary film, direction: Rami Kimchi, Israel 2006, 49 min, Hebrew/Ladino with English subtitles, German over headphones, German premier

This film tells the story of the Spanish Sephardi seminary on the island of Rhodes from 1926 to 1939 through the eyes of Rami Kimchi’s father. With an original soundtrack of Ladino songs by the internationally acclaimed singer, Yasmin Levy.
ORIGIN UNKNOWN

ORIGIN UNKNOWN
Documentary film, direction: Nina Grünfeld, Norway 2005, 49 min, Norwegian with English subtitles, German over headphones, German premier

Berthold Grünfeld is a well-known Jewish psychiatrist and sexologist in Norway. Whilst he does not attach great importance to his origins, his daughter, film-maker Nina Grünfeld, has an urgent need to find out more. So she sets out to uncover the story of her father’s life.

Guests: Nina und Berthold Grünfeld

ON THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF ZERO MOSTEL

YOO-HOO, Mrs. Goldberg

Aviva Kempner presents her film YOO-HOO, Mrs. Goldberg (in English) as a work in progress. The festival will then commemorate the actor Zero Mostel with a showing of THE FRONT, in which Mostel plays a character reminiscent of Philip Loeb, the actor who performed in The Goldbergs for many years and who was driven to suicide by McCarthy.
THE FRONT

ON THE 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEATH OF ZERO MOSTEL

THE FRONT
Feature film, direction: Martin Ritt, USA 1976, 95 min., in English

When scriptwriter Alfred Miller (Michael Murphy) is blacklisted by McCarthy, he pays Howard Prince (Woody Allen), an inept cashier, to act as a front man. The film has strong autobiographical elements as many of those involved, including Martin Ritt (director), Walter Bernstein (screenwriter) and Zero Mostel (actor), were themselves victims of McCarthyism.
AVANTI POPOLO

ON The 40th Anniversary of the 1967 six-day war

AVANTI POPOLO
Feature film, direction: Rafi Bukaee, Israel 1986, 84 min, Hebrew with English subtitles, German over headphones

Classic Israeli cinema directed by Rafi Bukaee, who died before his time. Following the end of the Six-Day War in 1967, two Egyptian soldiers attempt to get back to Cairo. Their journey is adventurous and at times surreal. The film received international acclaim and was awarded the Golden Leopard at the 1986 Locarno Film Festival.

reading and film

EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED
Feature film, direction: Liev Schreiber, USA 2005, 106 mins. (German version), only in German, no translation

Liev Schreiber’s film adaptation of the critically-acclaimed novel by Jonathan Safran Foer tells the story of a young American’s search for the woman who once saved his grandfather from the Nazis in a Ukrainian village. Jonathan hires two wild and crazy guys from “Odessa Heritage Tours”, and what begins as a journey to piece together his family’s past unexpectedly becomes a meaningful voyage of discovery full of surprising revelations.
THE GALILEE ESKIMOS

THE GALILEE ESKIMOS
Feature film, direction: Jonathan Paz, screenplay: Joshua Sobol, Israel 2006, 99 min, Hebrew with English subtitles, German over headphones

A kibbutz is on the point of bankruptcy. The night before the eviction, the residents desert their homes leaving behind the occupants of the old people’s home. When the sun rises and the demolition men arrive, the old people realise that they have been abandoned to their fate. They decide to put up a fight, come what may.

Guest: Jonathan Paz, director

THE BUBBLE

THE BUBBLE
Feature film, direction: Eytan Fox, Israel 2006, 115 min, Hebrew with English subtitles, German over headphones

Eytan Fox’s most recent hit film thrilled audiences at this year’s Berlin film festival. Three young Israelis share a flat in the hippest area of Tel Aviv. When one of them begins a relationship with a young Palestinian, their utopia seems perfect. But in the end they cannot withstand the reality of the violence in the region.

Guest: Ohad Knoller, leading actor